Who Is At Risk for Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura?

Both children and adults can develop idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP).

Children usually get the acute (short-term) type of ITP. Acute ITP often develops after an infection caused by a virus. Adults tend to get the chronic (long-lasting) type of ITP. Women are 2 to 3 times more likely than men to get chronic ITP.

ITP is a fairly common blood disorder, with 50 to 150 new cases per every 1 million people each year; about half of these cases are children. However, the number of cases of ITP is rising because routine blood tests that can detect a low platelet count are being done more often.

ITP can't be passed from one person to another.